UMass lineman Vladimir Ducasse will try to impress NFL scouts while still thinking about family in Haiti

Steven Senne/APUniversity of Massachusetts lineman Vladimir Ducasse is trying to focus on the Senior Bowl this week despite the fact he is from Haiti and still has family in the earthquake-torn country.UMass offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse knows he needs to be focused on the task at hand this week during practice for Saturday's Senior Bowl.

But that's easier said than done.

The 6-foot-5, 330-pounder is a native of Haiti, which was recently rocked by a devastating earthquake.

Though he has been able to get in touch with his father and other family members and knows their house was only slightly damaged, there are still plenty of people in his native land who are hurting.

"My first reaction was, 'Is my family OK?'" Ducasse said. "After I found out that everyone was OK, I continued to watch the news. I recognized some of the places. It hit me a little bit."

Ducasse is hoping he can start helping this week by improving his NFL draft status, therefore leading to a larger payday in April and allowing him to help Haiti financially in the future.

"I want to help. I wish that I could help out right now," he said. "I feel like I just have to take it one day at a time."

Ducasse has not been back to Haiti since his father sent him to Connecticut in 2002 when he was 14. The move was made for educational and safety reasons after Ducasse's mother died when he was 5 years old and his father was robbed at gunpoint three years later.

Ducasse was an athlete in Haiti, playing basketball and soccer and other sports, but he had never played football.

He was introduced to the game in Connecticut and didn't play until he was a junior in high school. By the end of his senior year, his size, athleticism, raw talent and good feet made him popular with coaches. He attended a camp at UMass before his senior season and the coaching staff expressed interest in him.

He eventually signed with the Minutemen and went on to earn All-America honors and the attention of NFL scouts.

"I grew up playing basketball and soccer," Ducasse said. "My dad wanted us to be involved in a multitude of sports. But I had never played football.

"I can't remember my first practice, but I became comfortable with it. I learned. When I learned, I was always the first one at practice and the last one to leave. When everyone else was on vacation during the summer, I watched film to get better and understand things better. I tried to get as much out of everything I was doing as I could."

The game is natural to him now, Ducasse said.

Some even have suggested Ducasse could be a first-round pick, though he is projected somewhere in the first three rounds. He is listed as the No. 31 overall prospect by Scouts Inc.

"I'm very much comfortable with myself," Ducasse said, "and I was comfortable at my school. We have some very good players there. I'm excited to be here and have the chance to prove what I can do. I definitely want to show that I'm ready. I'm ready to compete against the others that are here. I never thought I would get here, so I'm looking forward to the opportunity."